Heuchera plant named ‘Maple Leaf’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Heuchera  named ‘Maple Leaf’ that is characterized by its glossy young leaves, its flowers that are white in color and its unique foliage that is orange in color.

Botanical classification: Heuchera hybrid.

Cultivar designation: ‘Maple Leaf’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to U.S. Plant Patents for plants derivedfrom the same breeding program that are entitled Heuchera Plant Named‘Vulcano’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,625) and ‘Apricot’ (U.S. Plant Pat.No. 27,139).

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR

The Applicant asserts that no publications or advertisements relating tosales, offers for sale, or public distribution occurred more than oneyear prior to the effective filing date of this application. Anyinformation about the claimed plant would have been obtained from adirect or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. The Applicant claims aprior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/orsales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to theeffective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Heucheraof hybrid origin, botanically known as a Heuchera and is hereinafterreferred to by its cultivar name ‘Maple Leaf’.

The new cultivar was discovered as a chance seedling in a trial field bythe Inventor in Hantay, France in April of 2016. The trial fieldcontained hundreds of proprietary Heuchera seedlings from the Inventor'sbreeding program and other cultivars. The exact parentage of ‘MapleLeaf’ is therefore unknown.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished under thedirection of the Inventor by tissue culture initiated from meristemtissue in Rijswijk, The Netherlands in April 2017. Asexual propagationof the new cultivar by tissue culture has determined that thecharacteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced trueto type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘Maple Leaf’ as a new and unique cultivar of Heuchera.

-   -   1. ‘Maple Leaf’ exhibits glossy young leaves.    -   2. ‘Maple Leaf’ exhibits flowers that are white in color.    -   3. ‘Maple Leaf’ exhibits unique foliage that is orange in color.

‘Maple Leaf’ can be most closely compared to the Heuchera cultivars‘Vulcano’ and ‘Apricot’. ‘Vulcano’ is similar to ‘Maple Leaf’ in foliageshape. ‘Vulcano’ differs from ‘Maple Leaf’ in having foliage that islighter orange in color and young foliage with matte surfaces. ‘Apricot’is similar to ‘Maple Leaf’ in foliage color. ‘Apricot’ differs from‘Maple Leaf’ in having young foliage with matte surfaces, flowers thatare pink color, a smaller plant size and a less vigorous plant habit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Heuchera. The photograph wastaken of a plant 18 months in age as grown in a polyethylene tunnel in a27-cm container in Hantay, France.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of the plant of ‘MapleLeaf’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close up of the inflorescence of‘Maple Leaf’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close up of the foliage of ‘MapleLeaf’.

The colors in the photograph are as close as possible with the digitalphotography techniques available, the color values cited in the detailedbotanical description accurately describe the colors of the newHeuchera.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of 18 month-old plants of thenew cultivar as grown outdoors in 27-cm containers in Hantay, France.The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations inenvironmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not beentested under all possible environmental conditions. The colordetermination is in accordance with The 2015 Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society, London, England, except where general color termsof ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—An average of 6 weeks in May and June in            Hantay France.        -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.        -   Plant habit.—Flattened globular with inflorescences held            above the foliage.        -   Height and spread.—An average of 65 cm in height to top of            foliage and 90 cm in width.        -   Hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zones 3 to 9.        -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility or resistance to            diseases or pests has been observed.        -   Root description.—Fibrous roots on woody rootstalks, 158D in            color.        -   Propagation.—Tissue culture.        -   Root development.—12 to 13 weeks to fully develop from a            tissue culture plug in a 7-cm container.        -   Growth rate.—Moderate to high.-   Stem description (peduncle, flowering stem):    -   -   Shape.—Round.        -   Stem color.—Young; N77B, mature and at internodes; N186C and            200D.        -   Stem size.—An average of 3 mm in diameter and 56 cm in            length.        -   Stem strength.—Strong.        -   Stem aspect.—Average angle of 30° (0°=horizontal), secondary            peduncle average of 70° (0°=horizontal).        -   Stem surface.—Glabrous.        -   Stem number.—Average of 12 flowering stems.        -   Internode length.—An average of 2 mm.        -   Branching habit.—Flowering stems emerge from basal rosette.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Near orbicular.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf base.—Hastate, lobes touching to slightly overlapping.        -   Leaf apex.—Short abruptly acute.        -   Leaf venation.—Laciniate, upper surface 198A, lower surface            N187C.        -   Leaf margins.—Crenate with abruptly acute tips on each            tooth.        -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate in basal rosettes.        -   Leaf lobes.—Lobed, an average of 7 lobes, shallow in depth,            divergent.        -   Leaf surface.—Both surfaces glossy, non-rugose and            pubescent, moderately covered with very short strigose hairs            an average of 0.5 mm in length and N155A in color.        -   Leaf color.—Young upper surface; N199B and N199C, young            lower surface; 187D, mature upper surface; 177C, fading to            164B, mature lower surface; 183D.        -   Leaf size.—An average of 14.6 cm in length and 14.1 cm in            width.        -   Leaf quantity.—An average of 12 per basal rosette.        -   Petioles.—An average of 20.4 cm in length and 4 mm in            diameter, color upper and lower surface color 183B, both            surfaces slightly glossy, moderate in strength, densely            covered with soft hairs; an average of 1.5 mm in length and            N155A in color.        -   Stipules.—Leafy stipule at the base of each leaf, in basal            leaves average length 1.5 cm, average width 3 mm, tip acute,            183A in color.-   Flower description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Numerous small bell-shaped flowers            arranged on panicles on peduncles emerging from a basal            rosette.        -   Inflorescence size.—An average of 29.2 cm in height and 6.9            cm in diameter.        -   Inflorescence number.—An average of 11.        -   Flower fragrance.—None.        -   Flower quantity.—Average of 250 flowers per flowering stem.        -   Flower lastingness.—Average of 10 days.        -   Flower buds.—Obovate in shape, an average of 2.5 mm in            length and 1.5 mm in diameter, color; upper half 151D, lower            half 200D, surface is matte and densely covered with very            short glandular hairs; an average of 0.5 mm in length and            N155A in color.        -   Flower aspect.—Nodding.        -   Flower type.—Single, campanulate.        -   Flower size.—Average of 2.5 mm in height and diameter, 6 mm            in length.        -   Petals.—Average of 5, rotate arrangement and implanted in            the hypanthium at base, oblanceolate in shape and curled,            margin is entire, apex is acute, base is narrow attenuate,            upper and lower surface is glabrous and smooth, color of            upper and lower surface when opening and when fully open;            NN155D, an average of 2 mm in length and 0.5 mm in width.        -   Calyx.—Campanulate, sepals fused to hypanthium, 3 mm in            length and 2.5 mm in diameter.        -   Sepals.—An average of 5, lower 60% fused into campanulate            hypanthium, oblong in shape, an average of 3 mm in length            and 0.5 mm in width, margin is entire and fused into            hypanthium, apex is obtuse, fused base, color; when opening            upper and lower surface 151D, lower half 200D, fully open            upper and lower surface 145D, lower half 145A, both surfaces            are matte, lower surface is densely covered with very short            glandular hairs an average of 0.5 mm in length and N155A in            color.        -   Pedicels.—An average of 2.5 mm in length and 0.5 mm in            diameter, 183A in color and fading at distal end to 145C,            primary flower aspect straight on top of secondary pedicel,            secondary and tertiary flower aspect is 50°, moderate in            strength, surface matte and densely covered with very short            soft glandular hairs; average of 0.5 mm in length and to            small to measure color.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistils; 2, 3 mm in length, stigma; club-shaped,            NN155A in color, 0.2 mm in diameter, style; an average of            2.75 mm in length and N155A in color, ovary; 150D in color.        -   Androecium.—Stamens; 5, anthers; triangular in shape, about            0.3 mm in length and width, 11C in color, filament; 2 mm in            length and NN155D in color, pollen; low in quantity and 11D            in color.        -   Seed/fruit.—No fruit or seeds were observed to date.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Heuchera plant named‘Maple Leaf’ as herein illustrated and described.